Seed-planter.



No. 722,799. PATBNTED MAR; 17, 1903.-

L. L. BBVI`S. SEED PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.13, 1902.

N0 vMODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET'I:

No. 722,799. l, PATBNTED MAR. 17. 1903. L. L. BEVIS.

SEED PLANTER.

o APPLICATION FILED 001213, 1902.

N0 MODEL. I y 2 SHEBTS-SHEBT'Z- Z7 .9 v 25- l. l T

1n: Normas vrzns co., Punauwo.. wnsHmGYoN, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER L. BEVIS, OF FRANKLIN, GEORGIA.

SEED-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION form-.ing part of Letters Patent No. 722,799, dated March17, 1 903.

Application filed October 13,1902.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER L. BEVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Franklin, in the county of Heard and State of Georgia, haveinvented a new and useful Seed-Plan ter, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to seed planters, such as are used for plantingcorn, peas, cotton-seed, and various other seeds; and it has for itsobject Vto provide a device of this class which shall possess superioradvantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency.

With these ends in view the invention consists in 'the improvedconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the parts of the devicewhich will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of aseed-planter constructed in accordance with the principles of theinvention, the front end of the beam and the upper ends of the handleshaving been broken ed. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan'view of the device asshown in Fig. 1 with the coverers broken away. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is aside elevation showing the inner side of one of the sides of the hoppercarrying the means whereby the feed of the device is adjusted andregulated. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of the lower part of the hopper,showin g in elevation the seed-disk, which has been exposed by theremoval of the side shown in Fig. 4, said view being on aslightlyenlarged scale. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of theseed-cups with parts broken away to expose the construction.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similarnumerals of reference.

1 designates a beam provided with an ordinarybifurcated standard 2,carrying at its lower end a furrow-opener 3. Near the rear end of thebeam are provided brackets or hangers 4 4, between the lower ends ofwhich is journaled a traction-wheel 5, the axle 'of which, 6, projectsat one end and carries a sprocket-wheel 7. The beam 1 is provided at itsrear end with handles 8 of ordinary construction, and to its under sideat the front is secured a bracket 9, with which the upper Serial No.127.137. (No model.)

ends of the coverers 10 are connected. The bracket 9 may be securedtothe under side of the beam 1 in a tilting or slanting position, aswill be seen by reference to Fig. 1, and a clip 11,'ofsutable'construction, may bey used for securing it in its position,which is directly in front of the hopper. The coverers 10, which aresecured to the under side of said beam by means of bolts 12 or in anyother suitable manner, are extended slantingly in a downward andrearward direction, so as to engage the ground at the proper point inrear of the furrow-opener. The traction-wheel 5 is made with a broadconcaved tread, so as to pack the soil compactly over the seed.

A hopper 17 is supported upon the beam 1 directly in rear of thestandard 2, said hopper being securely connected with the beam by meansof a vertical conn ecting-plate 18, which is suitably connected bybolts, screws, or otherwise with the sides of the hopper and of thebeam, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It is evident that thewidth of the hopper being considerably in excess of that of the beam thebulk of said hopper extends laterally beyond the side of the beamopposite to that to which it is secured by means of the connecting-plate18. The bottom of the hopper is composed of a segmental upwardlycurvedplate 19, the ends of which are bent upward, as at 20, and secured tothe front and rear sides of the hopper; Said curved bottom plate has anapproximately centrallydisposedA longitudinal slot 2l extendingthroughout the length thereof. This slot is normally closed by means ofthe seed-disk 22, which is mounted upon a shaft 23, concentric with thesegmentally-curved body, against which the said seed-disk fits snugly,but not so closely as to cause a degree of friction that would interferewith the free rotation of said seed-disk. The transverse shaft 23, uponwhich the seed-disk is mounted, is provided with bearings in the outerside 24 of the hopper, in the beam 1, and in the connectingplate 18, asWill be seen by reference to Fig. 3, washers 25 being interposed wherenecessary to space the parts. An additional bearing for the shaft 23 maybe had in a plate 26, secured upon the inner side of the removable sidepiece 24 of the hopper, the purpose of which will be presently setforth. I would IOC have it understood, however, that the bearings forthe shaft 23 might be diiferently arranged without departing materiallyfrom the spirit of my invention, it being simply required to so mountthe said shaft as to support the seed-disk 22 in its proper position.The periphery of the seed-disk is provided with a plurality ofseed-cups, of which any desired number may be used. In the accompanyingdrawings two have been shown, this being a sufficient number for aplanter of average size. These seed-cups are composed of approximatelyT-shaped castings 28, let into the peripheral face of the seed-disk,where they may be secured by means of screws 29. The outer faces of thecross-bars of these T- shaped castings are curved to correspond with theperiphery of the disk, and they are provided Iwith sockets 30, extendinginto the Shanks 31 of said castings. The outer ends of said shanks 31are provided with longitudinal bores 32 for the passage of the stems 33of plungers 34, between which and the inner ends of the sockets springs35 are interposed, the tendency of said springs being to force theplungers normally in an outward direction until they lie fiush with thecurved edges of the cross-bars 36 of the castings 2S, which are flushwith the peripheral face of the disk. This movement, however, is limitedby means of pins 37, extending transversely through the stems 33 of theplungers and engaging slots 38 in the shanks 31 of the castingsconstituting the seed-cups. These pins 37 are extended laterally, aswill be clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings, for a purpose which willbe presently described.

lt is obvious that means must be provided for the purpose of moving theplungers 34 inwardly into the sockets 30 against the tension of thesprings 35 when the seed-cups are exposed below the longitudinal slot 2lin the bottom of the hopper in order that they may receive the seedwhich they are presently to discharge through the means provided forthat purpose. To provide for such withdrawal of the plungers, I providea curved plate or cam 40, which is pivotally connected at one of itsends, as at 4l, with the inner side of the aforementioned plate 26,which is secured to the inner side of the element 24, which constitutesa detachable side of the hopper. The cam 4() is provided at its free endwith an arm 4l', which extends through a slot 42 in the side of thehopper, where it carries a tightening-nut 43, by means of which thecam-plate 40 may be secured at any desired adjustment within the limitsof the slot 42. This cam-plate is projected into the path of thetransverse pins 37, connected with the plungers of the seed-cups, whichengage the under side of the said curved camplate, being therebywithdrawn to an extent which is capable of being regulated by properlyadjusting the said cam-plate, which adjustment by the means describedmay be effected very swiftly from the outside of the hopper and withoutremoving or disturbing any parts connected therewith.

It will be seen that when the seed-disk revolves and the seed-cups arefilled it becomes necessary to provide some means for retaining the seedin the cups until the point of discharge is reached. This is effected bymeans of a curved spring 45, the upper end of which is secured to thefront side of the hopper, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Said springis curved so as to lie snugly against the peripheral face of the lowerpart of the seed-disk, but at the same time capable of yielding so as.to exert no injurious degree of friction upon the seed contained in thecups with which it comes in contact. This spring carries at its free enda laterally-extending spout, which receives the contents of theseed-cups as the latter pass out of engagement with the spring 45. Thisspout, which is designated 46 and which may be of any suitableconstruction, is extended laterally, as shown, and serves to conduct theseed into the furrow, the location of said spout being a short distancein rear of the furrowopener.

The sides 24 and- 48 of the hopper 17 have bearings for a transverseshaft 49, carrying an agitator or stirring device 50. The shaft 49 isextended at one end and provided with a sprocket-wheel 5l. Anothersprocket-wheel 52 is mounted upon the extended end of the shaft 23,carrying the seed disk. These sprockets 51 and 52 are connected by anendless chain 53 with the sprocket 7 upon the axle 6 of thetraction-wheel 5, from which motion is thus transmitted to the operatingparts of the device.

The operation of thisinvention and its adva ntages will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with thedrawings hereto annexed, by those skilled in the art to which itappertains.

The general construction of the device is extremely simple andeffective.The seed received in the seed-cu ps will be projected from the same atexactly the right moment when the plungers pass into registry with thedischarge-spout, the retaining-spring ceasing to exercise its iniiuenceat this precise moment. The means for regulating the feed is likewisesimple and easily operated, said feed-regulating device exertingprecisely the same influence upon the several plungers coacting with theseed-cu ps, so that'the capacity of the latter will always be identical.

When desired, the agitating device may be removed from the seedbox andthe sprocketwheel upon the shaft of the seed-disk be connected directlywith the sprocket 7 upon the axle of the traction-wheels.

Other modifications and changes may suggest themselves, `and I thereforedesire to state that I do not limit myself to the precise structuraldetails herein shown and described, but reserve the right to any changeswhich may be made without departing from IOO IIO

the spirit and scope of my invention or saeriiicing the utility thereof.

By arranging the hopper With relation to the beam of the device, asherein shown, With the bulk of the hopper extended on one side I amenabled to place the seed-disk and the discharge-hopper quite close tothe ground, andthe discharge-spout being open, as shown, the operatormay readily watch the quantity of seed discharged at each operation andsatisfy himself that the machine is Working satisfactorily.

The arrangement of the cam-plate 4.0 With relation to the shaftsupporting the seed-disk is obviously slightly eccentric in order thatthe transverse' pins of the seed-cup plungers may more readily engagethe said cam at the pivoted end of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. In a device of the classdescribed, a hopper, an upwardly-curved segmental bottom having alongitudinal slot extending between the ends of the hopper, aconcentricallyn mounted seed-disk, seed-cups in the latterspring-actuated plungers mounted in said seed-cups and having stems,pins extending transversely through said stems and extended beyond theface of the disk and a cam mounted adjustably in the path of said pinsand engaging the latter to canse them and their related parts to recedeto an extent determinedl by the adjustment of said cam.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a seed-disk,the seed-cups, spring-actuated plungers having inwardlyextending stems,pins extending transverselyv through said stems and extended beyond theface of the disk, a segmental cam mounted pivotally and eccentricallylwith relation to the seed-disk and lying in the path of thetransversely-extended pins of the plungerstems, and means for adjustingand retaining the free end of said cam in different positions socket,and ay pin extending transversely through the stem of the plunger andthrough the slots in the sides of the shank.

5. A seed-cup for planters comprising a socketed member having a boreextending therethrough, lateral slots communicating with said bore, aplunger having a perforated stem extended into the bore, a springinterposed between the plunger and the bottom of the socket, and a pinextending transversely through the-stem of the plunger and the adjacentslots and forming a coupling member.

6. In a device of the class described, a spring attached at one end andsupporting a discharge-spout at its free end.

7. In a seed-planter, a discharge-spout mounted upon the free end of aspring, the opposite end of which has a fixed point of attachment, saidspout being disposed to receive the discharge from the seedingmechanism.

8. In a seed-planter, a hopper, a seed-disk within said hopper havingperipherally-arranged seed-cups, and a spring attached to said hopper,curved segmentally in contact with the periphery of the seed-disk andhaving a discharge-spout at its free end.

9. In a seed-planter, a discharge spout mounted upon a free end of aspring disposed in contact with the face ofthe seed-disk.

l0. In a seed-planter, a revolving seed-disk having seed-cups providedWith spring-actuated plungers normally forced in an outward direction bythe tension of the springs, and said plungers being provided withlaterally-extended members, in combination with plunger retracting andregulating means comprising an eccentrically-disposed cam pivotallymounted to engage the laterally-extended members of the plungers, andmeans for retaining the free end of said cam in adjusted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, LUTHER L. BEVIS.

WVitnesses:

HAMP. H. LANE, LU F. LANE.

IOC

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